Less Paint is More at International Truck and Engine Corporation

              Less Paint is More at International Truck and Engine Corporation
WMRC
Fact Sheet
TN08-090
October 2007
International Truck and Engine Corporation (http://www.internationalengines.com/index.aspx) participated in the Illinois Waste Management and Research Center's (WMRC's) Cutting Edge Partnership and reduced the amount of coating and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used in their production process.
Background
International Truck and Engine's Melrose Park facility manufactures inline six cylinder diesel engines that are used for Class 6 and 7 trucks and school buses. During its lifetime, the facility has manufactured more than 1.5 millions engines and was one of the first Diesel Engine Manufacturers in North America to be ISO14001 Certified.
As part of their commitment to the environment and ISO14001, International is always looking for new pollution prevention opportunities. Part of the engine manufacturing process at the Melrose Park Plant requires painting the engines to prevent rust.
Pollution Prevention Project Figure 1: Cylinder Block with Powder Coat
The plant recently began manufacturing the company's new I-326 2007 EPA compliant diesel engine. Previously, all engines manufactured at the plant were completely spray painted for protection. However, some of the components of the new engine were already powder coated and did not require repainting (Figure 1).
International staff and WMRC engineers worked together to find a more effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly coating alternative that also complied with EPA standards. They identified engine components that needed protection and developed a new paint that satisfied the company's quality and environmental requirements. At the start of the project, the engineers identified amount of paint used in the manufacturing process. The paint booth meters measured the amount of paint used. Company personnel monitored the amounts and recorded the data in their environmental management system.
One Hazelwood Drive, Champaign, IL 61820 217-333-8940
WMRC is a Division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources